Episodes

If you’re struggling with how to communicate your way through the coronavirus crisis, then this episode is for you. I’ve assembled a group of savvy professionals working in crisis and risk management, public relations, strategy & planning. You’ll hear how to provide timely and accurate information to your audience, and I share my favorite takeaway tips you can implement immediately in your communication plan. My contributors: 1. Mary Beth West of Fletcher Marketing PR Listen to the #MsInter...

It can happen to anyone. You’re out of town at a conference or event, and less than 24-hours before you’re set to take the stage for a talk, your voice decides to completely give out. Without access to your kitchen or a pharmacy full of remedies, what can you do? Canceling isn’t an option, but luckily there are a few ways to get your voice back just in the nick of time. Trust me, I know from personal experience. What not to do: [7:51] 1: Shh. [8:52] 2: Thank you, Carol Brady. [9:15] 3: Grab t...

All wonderful relationships began with a conversation. That’s why having a conversation starter handy is the gateway for a future connection with a person, whether it be for networking or in a new friendship. These are my six secrets that work like a charm for starting a conversation with anyone. [2:34] 1: The first one is my go-to. Everyone loves to be complimented on their appearance. (But it comes with an important warning.) [3:50] 2: This opener is gold. This tip works particularly wel...

Imagine planning a press conference to address a widely publicized cheating scandal and rebuild your baseball team’s reputation. You’ve got your lineup set for what should be a home run, but you end up striking out. In this podcast, I’m dissecting the Houston Astros' failed press conference. The good news is it gives us a perfect example of what not to do. You never know when scandal may arise, so here are some pointers you can add to your reputation management playbook today. [4:44] The plan...

Where do you do most of your communicating in your work and in your life? Chances are it’s mostly email and text. You’ve probably noticed that some correspondence sounds confident and some make you want to say “get to the point already.” In this episode, I’m going to cover the five words and five phrases to get rid of in your emails to make them more concise and direct. [3:41] Filler word 1. Unless this is an apology email, don’t use this word. [4:22] Filler word 2. Taking this word out make...

When is the last time you updated your passwords? If you answered never or not sure, take a listen to this episode for tips on how to protect your online identity. Cybersecurity breaches are a real threat to many businesses big and small. But don’t be lulled into thinking it’s only happening to companies. Private citizens are not taking cyber risk seriously and it’s costing people dearly. Did you know that in 2019 the number of publicly disclosed breaches was 3800? Or that 4.1 billion records...

Trust me when I tell you that Generation Z matters. Especially if you’re a parent of teens, you want to figure out how their brains are working. If you own or run a business, they matter because you’re going to need to learn how to get them motivated and engaged in your product or service. Today’s guest on the podcast is the author of InstaBrain: The New Rules for Marketing to Generation Z, Sarah Weise, and she’s sharing with us everything you need to know about Generation Z. This is a must-li...

If you’re like most of us, any communication you do through the written word is via the keyboard - either on your phone or at your computer. It’s no wonder that when it’s time to sit down and put pen to paper, the outcome can sometimes look more like a ransom letter than a thank you note. Handwriting doesn’t come easy to us anymore, but it’s still very important. Some benefits of writing things down by hand include helping us feel more accomplished, help inspire our work, think conceptually, an...

It’s official. Harry and Meghan have left the royal family to become financially independent. They can now "Chip and Joanna Gaines" their way into brand royalty, à la the likes of former presidential couples Barack and Michelle Obama and Bill and Hillary Clinton. And of course, the Broadcast Queen herself - Oprah. Trust me; there is a lot of money to be made off of their new role as royal brand ambassadors to themselves. In this episode - who is winning the PR battle of public opinion and why ...

This week I’m sharing my 7 deadly sins of grammar. These are some of the mistakes you might be unknowingly making in your writing that’s causing you to lose credibility - especially online. The goal of this episode is to give you more confidence in your writing. It is, after all, one of your most valuable currencies for intelligence. Proper grammar makes for good business, helps you command respect, and creates clarity in your message. The definition of grammar is the study of the way words ar...

Many businesses have a crisis on their hands. It's not the threat of a devastating event that should have them worried. It's the lack of planning for when it does. In this episode of the podcast, I’m speaking with Robert Burton. Rob is the Managing Director of PreparedEx, where he leads a team of crisis experts who prepare organizations to be more resilient to the myriad risks they face and is also co-founder of The International Crisis Management Conference. If you are responsible for ensurin...

A New Year’s Eve episode airing on the cusp of 2020 dedicated to listeners who want to make a transition in 2020. For many, this is the time of year that people seek change and crave renewal. Who better to guide us through that process than a life coach? My guest is Steve Piacente. Steve is a former colleague of mine - we worked together as executive communication coaches - who has a great deal of experience in communications. He is a former newspaper reporter turned D.C. bureau chief, turned s...

We mean to write them, but we don’t always get around to it even though we know we should. It’s the "always love to receive one, but dread writing one" thank you note. Listen to this episode for tips on how to write an unforgettable thank you note. I've timed this episode around the holidays to offer a gentle push for completing a task that many people tend to overlook. Best tip: If you’re ever asking yourself if you should write a thank you note, you already know the answer. Psst...it's yes. ...

On the first day of Christmas, my true love sent to me A PR crisis, or one or two or three. In this (almost) end-of-the-year episode, I wrap-up the PR season by covering the best (or worst?) PR crises of 2019. It's my holiday gift to myself and to anyone else who has a passion for practicing public relations. My definition of a PR crisis? A public reaction from an event that causes a brand or a person’s reputation to upside-down. The viral-age twist? It can happen overnight. Listen to my #PRF...

Merry, Merry! Let's get into the festive spirit and talk about conversation etiquette at holiday parties. You might remember my guest, public speaking expert Lauren Sergy from her appearance on Episode 55, Executive Presence: What It Looks Like, Why You Need It and How to Get It. If you have some parties coming up soon, you’ll definitely want to listen to this one. Lauren is from our neighbor to the north, coming to us from Canada, but the political climates in both Canada and the United State...

Ho ho ho! You are listening to this special bonus holiday episode as a gift for being a loyal subscriber to the Confident Communications Podcast. Think of it as my holiday card to you as a thank you for listening. Speaking of holiday cards, this episode offers some things to consider when it comes to sending out professional holiday cards. Not sure if you should send them in the first place? I’ll go into more detail in the show, but yes, I do think it’s a good idea to send them and I'll expla...

According to this week's guest, a company owns its brand; the public owns its reputation. Crisis communications expert Bill Coletti reveals how to build reputational excellence by meeting the needs and expectations of the public. We discuss his various strategies for companies to work their way through a crisis. Bonus -- Bill offers a phenomenal crisis preparation tip you can put into place within your organization immediately. [3:05] Kith’s focus looking forward to 2020. The firm is transitio...

It’s Thanksgiving week in the United States; a time of year when a lot of people plan to travel through airports on their way to visit family and friends for the holiday. This is the episode to help you, and everyone around you, travel with ease in the air. Everyone holiday, you can almost bet on someone picking up their phone to snap a photo or film a video of not-so-good behavior on the plane. After all, when people are on edge or in a hurry - chances are they are not at their best. So let’s ...

Can you believe it’s been a full year since we launched the Confident Communications Podcast? Well, here we are! One year later and one year wiser. It seems like just yesterday I was sitting at Pat Flynn’s Power-Up Podcasting boot camp (Pat was also a guest on this podcast in episode 40) which played a major role in helping me get this podcast out into the world. I wanted to celebrate this year of helping people become better communicators by highlighting some of our top podcast episodes and a ...

Executive Presence is a term you may hear a lot, but do you know what it means? Simply put, having it means you own a room the second you stand in front of it. It's a mix of confidence and savvy communications that inspire your peers, subordinates and leaders. Lauren Sergy, an expert on all things communications, walks us through the steps for building your executive presence in the workplace. Hear why your pitch, tone, physical stature and gender play a part. Mentioned In This Episode Your ...

As a business leader, employee or owner, you have the opportunity to interact with many people from all walks of life and places. Just as important as why you interact with people, is that you’re able to greet them appropriately so you get off on the right foot. But greeting etiquette depends on so many factors, aside from culture--how you know the person and who is hosting the meeting also plays a factor. About Molly Molly McPherson, M.S., APR, combines her knowledge of current communication ...

Someone at your organization was accused of sexual harassment. Perhaps the harassment was in the form of an inappropriate remark, behavior, incident or outburst. You work in leadership and have to respond. Or you may even be that person accused of harassment. Now what? This episode looks at recent news stories of how organizations dealt with a sexual harassment issue when it became public. Discussing what should happen from a public messaging perspective. What do you say about the incident as a...

It's October, and all four major professional U.S. sports leagues are in full swing, making it the busiest sports month of the year. The sports industry is a very profitable one as well, which means there is a lot to learn about it from a business point of view. My guest today is Emmy-award winning supervising producer Stu Kirshenbaum, who worked over 20 years in network sports television and is now the owner and executive producer for Keystone Films. With his intimate knowledge of all things ...

This month is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. A perfect time to remind people that we live in a world increasingly reliant on technology, which makes us all vulnerable to cyberattacks. This week's guest helps companies prepare for the days they hope will never happen -- a cyberattack. Mark Hoffman discusses how phishing attacks occur and why organizations need cybersecurity plans. Mentioned in this episode: City of Baltimore Ransomware Attack Click here get his guide on the top ten anti-phishin...